MAKHACHKALA, April 20 – RIA Dagestan. On April 17, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in Moscow hosted the fifth forum and awards ceremony for the "Kolba" Prize — Russia's only national award specifically for women scientists. Madina Magomedova, an associate professor at Dagestan State Medical University's Department of General and Biological Chemistry, won in the "Medicine" category.
Magomedova received the honor for her research on genotyping mutations, work that contributes to advancing genetic diagnostics and personalized medicine. "I am proud that my work on genotyping mutations has been recognized and appreciated. I hope this will serve as an inspiration for other women scientists to overcome stereotypes and achieve outstanding results in their scientific fields" Magomedova stated.
Each laureate received a comprehensive prize package, including a distinctive "Kolba" insignia embellished with a precious stone, publication of a personal interview with one of the project's media partners, an individual mentorship session with prize experts and trustees and a bilingual Russian-English "Kolba" almanac.
The "Kolba" Prize was established to promote the visibility of women researchers, highlight significant achievements in science and technology and foster collaboration between academia and industry. Included in the list of key events for Russia's Decade of Science and Technology, the project is implemented with support from the Professional Initiatives Foundation "Women in the Nuclear Industry" of the international WiN Global movement.
For over five years, "Kolba" has been shaping the image of the modern woman scientist and amplifying their contributions in media discourse. Since its inception, the project has published more than 300 interviews with participants, and in 2026, the prize set a record with over 30 nomination categories—underscoring the growing recognition of women's leadership in Russian science and innovation.